1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the calibration of a vector network analyzer (VNA). More particularly, the present invention relates to automatic calibration of a VNA with calibration standards provided internal to the VNA.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, two port VNAs were calibrated with calibration standards to determine S-parameters at the measurement ports of the VNA which take into account vector error correction terms to enhance the accuracy of the VNA. A typical calibration technique required the separate connection of four calibration standards (thru, match, short, open) with known "perfect" parameters and an operator to press buttons to enable measurements to be taken for each calibration standard.
Recently, calibration techniques have been developed which allow for partially unknown standards. One such calibration technique is described in an article entitled "Two-Port Network Analyzer Calibration Using an Unknown `Thru`", by Andrea Ferrero and Umberto Pisani, IEEE Microwave and Guided Wave Letters, Vol. 2, No. 12, December 1992, pp. 505-507 (hereinafter, Ferrero), which is incorporated herein by reference. The Ferrero technique does not require any particular knowledge of a thru standard, other than an estimation of its S.sub.21 phase shift and that the thru be a reciprocal device.
The Ferrero technique enables calibration of a VNA by measuring the scattering matrix of an unknown thru as a device under test (DUT) plus the reflection coefficients of a short, open and load to determine error terms composed of particular S-parameters of two error boxes E.sub.A and E.sub.B between the ports of the VNA and a two port reflectometer of the VNA as shown in FIG. 1.
Also recently, devices have been developed to automate steps of the calibration process. One such device is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/140,781, entitled "Automatic VNA Calibration Apparatus", by Oldfield et al., filed Oct. 21, 1993 (hereinafter, Oldfield), also incorporated herein by reference. Oldfield describes a device used for automation of the steps of attaching and removing calibration standards as well as steps where the operator presses buttons to perform calibration measurements. The device described in Oldfield is a box containing calibration standards with the box being attachable to the ports of the VNA. Electronically controlled switches are included in the box to individually connect the calibration standards one at a time to a port of the VNA for calibration measurements. The box also includes circuitry connectable to the VNA to provide information required for measurement of each calibration standard, rather than requiring an operator to press buttons on the VNA between measurements for each standard.